Dire shortage of paramedics
WHILE facing a massive shortage of ambulance personnel, the Northern Cape Department of Health only has four qualified paramedics who are trained in advanced life support.
This emerged in an answer by the national Department of Health following a parliamentary question posed by the EFF’s Ntombovuyo Mente-Nqweniso, regarding the number of paramedics employed by the department in each district municipality in the Northern Cape.
According to the reply there are a total of four paramedics employed throughout the Province. Two of them are EMS lecturers Grade 3, and one is an EMS lecturer Grade 2. There is one Grade 2 paramedic.
Of the Grade 3 EMS lecturers, one is employed in the Pixley ka Seme district and the others are working at the Department of Health’s head office.
While the Northern Cape Department of Health failed to respond to media enquiries yesterday, Hospersa explained that paramedics referred to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel who were trained in advanced life support.
It is believed that there are around 850 EMS staff currently employed in the Province – less than half the total needed to operate effectively, with an estimated additional 1 000 personnel members needed.
“Of the 850 employed in the Province, it is estimated that between 30 and 40 percent have training in intermediate life support. The majority only have basic life support,” the union said yesterday.
Those who are trained in advanced life support are reportedly employed in offices and do not operate on ambulances in the field.
Earlier this year, Hospersa criticised the Northern Cape Department of Health (NC DoH) for operating one-man crew ambulances in close to 20 EMS stations across the Province.
The union has vowed to intensify its campaign against staff shortages in the Province’s EMS stations in order to improve the working conditions of its members.
According to reports, EMS workers in the Province have been instructed to operate as one-man ambulance crews when attending to medical emergencies.
“We strongly condemn the practice of one-man ambulance crews in the NC province,” said Hospersa general secretary Noel Desfontaines. “The NC DoH is in contravention of EMS regulations which clearly state that an ambulance must be staffed by a minimum of two emergency care providers. Operating on one-man ambulance crews is putting our members under enormous pressure when attending to medical emergencies which in turn affects the delivery of the service.
“Our members have given us a clear mandate to address staff shortages to improve their working conditions as well as service delivery to communities. We will intensify our campaign against the practice of one-man ambulance crews in the NC province and continue putting pressure on the Province’s DoH to adequately address EMS staffing issues,” added Desfontaines.
The shortage of staff means that a single crew member often has to transport a patient from farflung areas to Kimberley and then return immediately. “This person will be expected to drive up to 1 000km on his own without any relief.”
The union has pointed out further that in some parts of the Province, staff are expected to work back-to-back shifts due to the shortage of ambulance personnel. “They are on duty in the day and are then required to be on standby when their shift ends, which means they work around the clock.”
It was pointed out that despite this situation, personnel were not paid overtime. “The department owes overtime dating back to 2005. The staff do not want to work overtime but they are forced to and are threatened with disciplinary action if they refuse.”
Vehicles are also an issue and there is a major shortage of ambulances in the Province. “At some stations, bakkies are being used as ambulances. These vehicles are not properly equipped and if there is a major accident, then ambulances have to be sent from Kimberley or De Aar, resulting in long delays before patients receive the necessary medical attention.”
At Alexander Bay, the EMS staff have not had an ambulance for the last six months.